Gas blanketed electro-surgical device



w. AUGUST GAS BLANKETED ELECTRO-SURGICAL DEVICE Filed March 16,.1953

A ril 1, 1958 4 Sheets-sheaf, 1

INVENTOR. (WM/4M 406%57' w a arrow/5V5 Haw April 1, 1958 w. AUGUST GAS BLANKETED ELECTRO-SURGICAL DEVICE Filed March 16, 1953 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 7 5 T6 .M N0 P W m WM m April 1, 1958 w. AUGUST GAS BLANKETED ELECTRO-SURGICAL DEVICE Filed March 16, 1953 4 Shets-Sheet s mum-mm r 5 mp m n April 1, 1958 w. AUGUST 2,828,748

GAS BLANKETED ELECTRO-SURGICAL DEVICE Filed March 16, 1953 4 SheetsShee'tv4 l/ I I ]NVENTOR.= 4 (MM/4M 406%97 United States Patent GAS BLANKETED ELECTRO-SURGICAL DEVICE William August, Arcadia, Calif., assignor to The Birtcher Corporation, Los Angeles, Calif., a corporation of California Application March 16, 1953, Serial No. 342,363

11 Claims. (Cl. 128-30314) This invention relates to an electro-surgical device, and more particularly to devices wherein the cutting action is produced in a large measure through energization of the instrument by a high frequency current.

It is an object of this invention to provide an electrosurgical instrument which may be safely employed in an explosive atmosphere created by the presence of an anesthetic in an operating room without danger of an explosron.

It is a further object of this invention to provide means for blanketing the source of high frequency current and all leads therefrom with inert gas to avoid explosion.

It is a further object of this invention to provide means for indicating the flow of such inert gas.

It is a further object of this invention to provide means for coupling a cutting device to a source of high frequency current without exposure to an explosive atmosphere.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will be readily apparent from the following description.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a device embodying this invention.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the device.

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the high frequency current source housing.

Figure 4 is a section taken along line 44 of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a rear elevation partially in section.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary side elevation partially in section.

Figure 7 is a section similar to Figure 4 with the upper housing removed.

Figure 8 is a section taken along line 38 of Figure 1.

Figure 9 is a section taken along line 93 of Figure 1.

Figure 10 is a frontal elevation partially in section of the gas flow indicating device.

Figure 11 is a section taken along line 11-11 of Figure 10.

Figure 12 is a section taken along line 1212 of Figure 10.

Figure 13 is a section taken along line 1313 of Figure 10.

Figure 14 is a perspective view of the cutting instrument coupling.

Figure 15 is a section taken along line 1515 of Figure 14.

Figure 16 is a sectional View of the cutting instrument.

Figure 17 is a section taken along line 17-17 of Figure 16.

Figure 18 is a section taken along line 1818 of Figure 15.

Figure 19 is a section taken along line 19-19 of Figure 17.

Figure 20 is a fragmentary view of the cutting tool holder.

Figure 21 is a sectional view of the outlet control valve.

2,828,748 Patented Apr. 1, 1958 current source casing 18 is inserted. This casing is 'provided with a rear access opening 20 which is covered by a plate 22 bolted to the casing and forming a gas tight seal. The casing at its upper edge has a flange 24 formed thereon which at its outer periphery is substantially the same size as the periphery of the top opening in housing 10.

The upper or control panel housing 26 has welded thereto at its lower edge an angle iron 28 which forms an inwardly turned flange above the bottom edge of the control panel housing, which flange has the same contour as the top opening in housing 10. A spacing bar 30 is welded to angle iron 28 about the opening and a sealing gasket 32 fits between the spacing bar 30 and flange 24 when they are'bolted together by screws 34 to form a gas tight seal therebetween.

The lower edge of the control panel housing projects downwardly until it contacts the housing 10 thereby providing a flush joint. Rails 36 are, provided on either side of the control panel housing 26 whereby this housing, plus the high frequency current source casing 18, may be removed from the housing 10 for repair or replacement.

Also secured by bolts 34 to angle iron 23 is a pair of high frequency current source support brackets 33 which have an outwardly turned flange 40 at their upper edges.

These brackets project downwardly inside the casing 18.

Secured to the lower extremities of the brackets 36 are plates 42 which are bolted to the bottom of casing by bolts 44. These plates carry platforms upon which the high frequency current source is mounted. This current source may be of any suitable type well known to those skilled in the art, and platforms 46 and 48 are illustrated supporting tubes 59 and coils 52. Thus the whole high frequency current source is removable from housing 10 upon removal of casing 18 and is further removed from the casing 18 by loosening of bolts 44 and screws 34. The mounting of the component elements of the current source is suitably insulated from the platforms 46 and 43.

The electrical lead 46a (see Figure 8) passes through a gas tight connection in the housing 26 from a suitable source of power to the high frequency source while the lead 48a carries the high frequency current from the source as hereinafter will be described.

Mounted upon a suitable bracket 50a is gas bottle 52a.

A hose 54 connects the bottle with the inside of the casing I 18 through a suitable gas tight union. The bottle is charged with an inert gas which is thus directed into the casing 18 surrounding the high frequency current source with an inert atmosphere eliminating the possibility of' block 60 which has associated passages and indicating tube supports hereinafter described. The pipe 54 communicates with a port 78 which runs a substantial distance along the port block and has three terminals 62, 64 and 66.

Associated with each terminal is a gas flow indicating tube '68 which is filled with a suitable liquid and has an inlet tube directly below theassociated terminal and an outlet port 72 which is directly below the terminal 74 of the port which leads to an outlet port 78.

Flow from the port 58 through the tube 68 and hence to outlet port 78 is controlled by a petcock 80 which fits into a tapered hole in the port block 69. The petcock is secured in the hole by screw 82 which is urged by spring 84 away from the block 60. The petcock is rotated by a handle 86 and has a pair of parallel ports 88 and 90 which, when in'a vertical position, register with ports 72 and 70 respectively, so that gas passes from the port 58 out the outlet port '78.

The port block 60 is provided with other discharge ports 92 and 94 which are communicated through a flow indicating tube 68 to the port 58, flow being controlled by petcocks similar to 80.

The horizontal ports in port block 60 may be formed by being cut in a resilient gasket 96 which is held in proper alignment by cap 98.

As gas flows through the flow indicating tubes, visible bubbles are formed in the tube thus providing a visual check to determine if gas is flowing to any of the three outlets.

Each outlet and operating instrument is identical so only one will be described. As seen in Figure 10, resilient tubes 100, 102 and 184 telescopically receive the extremity of each of the discharge ports 78, 92 and 94. Each tube leads from the discharge port to an outlet.

Referring now to Figures 9 and 14 to 20, the tube fits onto an outlet body 106 which is externally threaded to receive a bushing 108 which has secured thereto by soldering or otherwise a contact 110 to which one lead from the high frequency current source is attached. An insulating plug 112 made from non-conductive material fits into the opening formed in housing 10 for the outlet. This plug is provided with a bore 113 which receives the outlet body 106 and has an annular groove 114 which receives a flange 116 formed upon the outlet body. That portion of the insulating plug 112 outside the housing 26 is flanged and the portion inside is threaded so that nut 118, when tightened on the plug, pulls the flanged extremity and resilient washer 120 against the wall of the housing 26 forming a gas tight seal. A resilient washer 122 is provided between the inner extremity of plug 112 and the bushing 108 to provide a gas tight fitting. Thus the gas is directed through bore 113 while the current flows into the outlet body which has a threaded bore 124 formed therein.

Into this bore 124 a threaded nipple 126 of valve containing member 128 is screwed. This member has an annular groove forming a seat for resilient washer 130 which bears against the outer surface of outlet body 106 and prevents leakage of gas. The bore 113 is sufiiciently deepand of suflicient diameter to receive not only the threaded tail piece 126 but a portion of the larger body up to the termination of the insulation 132 which surrounds the valve housing member 120 and projects from the extremity of plug 112 to the threaded nipple 134 formed on the front of the valve housing member. This provides a gas tight and electrically insulated union between valve housing 128 and the outlet body 106 confining gas passage through bore 136 in the valve housing and confining electrical current flowv to the housing128.

The bore 136 is threaded to receive a valve 138, best seen in Figure 21. The valve has a housing 140 for a movable valve stem 142 which carries a valve head 144. Spring 146 contacts flange 148 urging the valve stem to the left in Figure 21 causing the valve head 144 to bear against valve seat 150 formed on the extremity of the valve body. A resilient sealing member 151 is carried by the valve body to form a gas seal with the walls of bore 136. In this manner, gas will not flow from the outlet unless the valve stem is moved to depress the spring.

The operating instrument generally designated 152 (Figure 16) is connected to the outlet by means of a flexible tube 154 and coupling member generally designated 156 (Figure 15). The coupling member has a body 158, of Bakelite or other similar non-conductive material, having an aperture 160 at one extremity to receive tube 154 which projects into the coupling member body 158. The tube telescopically receives the tubular extremity 161 of the valve actuating member 162, which extremity has two annular grooves 163 into which internal ridges 164 of the tube project to insure a tight gas proof fit. The valve actuating member is threaded externally and screws into a bushing 166 which in turn snugly fits into the bore 168 formed in the coupling member body 158.

The valve actuating member 162 carries a blade 170 centrally located thereon at the extremity adjacent the valve 138, which blade strikes the head 172 of the valve stem without obstructing flow of gas through bore 136. A coupling member 174 screws onto the extremity 134 of the valve containing member 128 and has an inturned flange 176which engages a flange 178 formed upon the valve actuating member so that screwing the coupling member on the valve containing member 128 draws the valve actuating blade 170 into engagement with head 172 and urges the valve stem 142 against spring 146, thereby opening the valve 138 and permitting gas to flow through the hollow valve actuating member 162 and into the tube 154.

A resilient washer 180 is carried by the valve actuating member at the extremity adjacent the valve housing member 128, fitting between the'extremity 134 of said member and the extremity of the valve actuating member 162, forming a gas tight seal therebetween. Suitable insulation 182 surrounds the exposed portions of the metal coupling member 174 from the point of contact with insulation 132 on the valve carrying member 128 around the enlarged portion of said member and terminating inside said coupling member body 158. In this manner, all metal parts such as valve carrying member 128, coupling member 174, valve actuating carrying member 162 and bushing 166 are insulated from exposure to the atmosphere. All of these parts are in electrical contact with one another and with the high frequency current source.

The tube 154 is of rubber or some similar non-conductive flexible material and houses the flexible current carrying wire 184. This wire is connected to the valve actuating carrying member 162 by a spring 186 whose extremities are bent normal to the axis of the valve actuating carrying member 162 and project into an annular groove 183 formed therein.

At the opposite extremity, a similar spring 180 has its extremities projecting into a similar annular groove formed in wire coupling member 192. This wire coupling member has a bore therein which is tapered to receive the tapered extremity of the tube 194. A tail piece 196 has an inturned flange which is smaller than the large portion of the wire coupling member 192. A tube body carries the tube 194 therein and screws into tail piece 196, drawing the tube into electrical contact with wire coupling member 192 and hence wire 154.

The other extremity of the tube body 198 has screwed thereon a head piece 200 which carries therein a chuck 202 which telescopically receives the tube 194 in one extremity and has jaws which hold therein a tube 204. The head piece 200 has a slightly tapered bore so that as it is screwed onto the tube body 198, the jaws of chuck 202 close upon and hold the tube 204.

A tool holding member 206 fits into tube 204 which has a shoulder 208 beyond which the tube holding member 206 cannot pass. The cutting tool 210 fits into the tool holding member 206 and is braised or otherwise secured therein.

The tail piece 196, tube body 198 and head piece 200 are all made of a non-conductive material so that none of the metal pieces is exposed to the atmosphere other than the cutting tool 210. The cutting tool is in electrical contact with the wire 184 through wire coupling member 192, tube 194 and tool holding member 206. The inert gas passes through the tube 154 and tube 194 and around tool holding member 206 which has a plurality of channels formed therein as best seen in Figures 19 and 20 and is discharged from tube 204 in a blanket surrounding the cutting tool 21% shielding same from the explosive atmosphere which exists in the operating room.

A form of high frequency generator is shown in the schematic circuit diagram of Figure 22. Other forms of generators well known to those skilled in the art may be utilized.

A suitable source of power 212 is connected through an electro-rnagnetic switch 214 to the primary winding 216 of a step-up transformer generally designated 218. This primary winding is provided with a plurality of voltage taps 229 which may selectively be contacted by a movable switch arm 222 permitting compensation for variations in the line voltage supplied by source 212. A plurality of spark gaps 224 are connected for energization by the high-voltage secondary winding 226 of transformer 218. High frequency oscillatory currents are induced in a resonant circuit comprising a high-frequency tuning coil 22% and capacitors 239.

These high frequency currents are shown by way of illustration as being taken off through coupling capacitors 232, one of these capacitors being connected to a ground terminal 234 with a suitable ground electrode 236 connected thereto by conductor 238. The other capacitor is connected by lead 48 to the cutting instrument 152. The ground electrode 236 is intended to complete the circuit to the body of the patient undergoing the operation.

The high frequency current source has lead 48a connecting same to the outlet body 106. In operation inert gas is admitted through hose 54 into the casing 18 which houses the current source and thus insulates same from the atmosphere. The inert gas fills casing 18 and housing 26. When one of the petcocks 80 is rotated to the position where the ports 88 and 90 are aligned with port 62 and tube 70, the gas will flow from 26 up through 54a and through bubble indicating tube 68 and through one of the tubes 1%, 102 or 104 to the outlet body 106. The gas passes through a suitable bore in the outlet body into bore 136 of valve housing member 128. The valve 138 prevents further passage of the gas until the valve stem is moved to open the valve by coupling the cutting instrument coupling member 156 thereon. The gas passes through tube 154 and is discharged from the cutting instrument 152 in the form of a blanket of gas surrounding the cutting instrument 216. The high frequency current is conducted by the outlet body and the coupling means to wire 184 to the cutting instrument and at all times is insulated from the atmosphere in the operating room which frequently contains an explosive atmosphere.

illustrated in Figure 23 is an alternative form of gas flow indicating device wherein gas flows through tube 240 instead of pipe 54 and exits through tube 242 to an outlet in place of tubes 1%, 102 and 104. A chamber 242 is formed of a suitable transparent body 244. The chamber is tapered so that the velocity of gas passing there through will be reduced at the outlet. A steel ball 246 is inserted into the chamber, which ball will float therein while gas is flowing and will drop to the bottom of the chamber if the gas fiow ceases. Springs 248 and 250 are provided at each extremity of the chamber to cushion the impact of the ball.

In this manner a visual indicator tells when gas flow 6 is interrupted by the position of the ball 246 in chamber 242.

While what hereinbefore has been described is the preferred embodiment of this invention, it is readily apparent that alterations and modifications can be resorted to without departing from the scope of this invention and such alterations and modifications are intended to be included in the following claims.

I claim:

1. An electro-surgical device of the type utilizing a high frequency current source and a source of inert gas comprising: a housing, a casing containing said current source removably inserted into said housing, means directing inert gas from said gas source into said casing, a gas flow indicating housing communicating with said casing, an outlet body having a gas port therethrough, means forming an electrical and gas tight seal between said outlet body and one of said housings, means connecting said high frequency current source to said outlet body, visual gas flow indicating means on said gas flow indicating housing, and means directing gas flow through said gas flow indicating means prior to passage to said outlet.

2. An electro-surgical device of the type utilizing a high frequency current source and a source of inert gas comprising: a housing, a casing containing said current source removably inserted into said housing, means directing inert gas from said gas source into said casing, a gas flow indicating housing communicating with said casing, an outlet body having a gas port therethrough, means forming an electrical and gas tight seal between said outlet body and one of said housings, means connecting said high frequency current source to said outlet body, gas flow indicating means mounted on said gas flow indicating housing for visual inspection, ports leading from said gas flow indicating housing to said gas flow indicating means and from said gas fiow indicating housing to said outlet, and a petcock controlling flow through said ports.

3. An electro-surgical device of the type utilizing a high frequency current source and a source of inert gas comprising: a housing, a casing containing said current source removably inserted into said housing, means directing inert gas from said gas source into said casing, a gas flow indicating housing communicating with said casing, an outlet body having a gas port therethrough, means forming an electrical and gas tight seal between said outlet body and one of said housings, means connecting said high frequency current source to said outlet body, visual gas flow indicating means on said gas flow indicating housing, means directing gas flow through said gas flow indicating means prior to passage to said outlet, normally closed valve means in said outlet body gas port responsive to a force applied thereon from outside said gas flow indicating housing to permit flow of gas therefrom.

4. An electro-surgical device of the type utilizing a high frequency current source and a source of inert gas comprising: a housing, a casing containing said current source removably inserted into said housing, means directing inert gas from said gas source into said casing, a gas flow indicating housing communicating with said casing, an outlet body having a gas port therethrough, means forming an electrical and gas tight seal between said outlet body and one of said housings, means connecting said high frequency current source to said outlet body, gas flow indicating means mounted on said gas flow indicating housing for visual inspection, ports leading from said gas flow indicating housing to said gas high frequency current source comprising: a housing, a casing containing said current source removably inserted into said housing, an inert gas source carried by said housing and supplying gas to the inside of said casing, a combined electrical and gas outlet fromsaid housing, an electrically insulated cutting instrument attached to said outlet and having an exposed cutting tool, means electrically insulating the connection between said cutting instrument and said outlet, and means for directing gas through said outlet and said cutting instrument in the form of an envelope encasing said cutting tool.

6. An electro-surgical device of the type utilizing a high frequency current source and a source of inert gas comprising: a housing, a casing containing said current source removably inserted into said housing, means directing inert gas from said gas source into said casing, a gas flow indicating housing communicating with said casing, a combined electrical and gas outlet from said gas flow indicating housing, visual gas flow indicating means on said gas fiow indicating housing, means'directing gas flow from said casing tnrough said gas flow indicating means prior to passage to said outlet, an electrically insulated cutting instrument attached to said outlet and having an exposed cutting tool, means electrically insulating the connection between said cutting instrument and said outlet, and means directing gas from said indicating means through said outlet and said cutting instrument in the form of an envelope encasing said cutting tool.

7. An electro-surgical device of the type utilizing a high frequency current source and a source of inert gas comprising: a housing, a casing containing said current source removably inserted into said housing, means directing inert gas from said gas source into said casing, a gas flow indicating housing communicating with said casing, an outlet body having a gas port therethrough, means forming an electrical and gas tight seal between said outlet body and said first mentioned housing, means connecting said high frequency current source to said outlet body, visual gas flow indicating means on said gas flow indicating housing, means directing gas flow from said casing through said gas flow indicating means prior to passage to said outlet, normally closed valve means attached to said outlet body in said gas port responsive to a force applied thereon from outside said gas flow indicating housing to permit flow of gas therefrom, an electrically insulated cutting instrument attached to said outlet and having an exposed cutting tool, means electrically insulating the connection between said cutting instrument and said outlet, and means directing gas through said outlet and said cutting instrument in the form of an envelope encasing said cutting tool.

8. An electro-surgical device of the type utilizing a high frequency current source comprising: a housing, a casing containing said current source removably inserted into said housing, an inert gas source carried by said housing and supplying gas to the inside of said casing,'and a combined electrical and gas outlet from said housing, normally closed valve means in said outlet, a valve actuating member removabiy secured to said outlet and having a gas port therethrough, an electrically insulated cutting instrument having an exposed cutting tool, a flexible electrically insulated tube connecting said valve actuating member to said cutting instrument directing gas flow through said cutting instrument in the form of an envelope encasing said cutting tool, and'means electrically insulating the connection between said valve actuating member, said outlet and said tube.

9. An electro-surgical device of the type utilizing a high frequency current source comprising: a housing, a casing containing said current source and removably inserted into said housing, an inert gas source carried by said housing and supplying gas to the inside of said casing, a combined electrical and gas outlet iromlsaid housing, visual gasflow indicating means mounted upon said housing to signal tlow of gas from said outlet, normally closed valve means in said outlet, 21 valve actuating member removably secured to said outlet and having a gas port therethrough, an electrically insulated cutting instrui5; :xposed cutting tool, a flexible electrically ms lated tune connecting said valve actuating member to said cutting instrument directing gas flow through said cutting instrument in the form of an envelope encasing said cutting tool, and means electrically insulating the tion between said valve actuating member, said outlet and said tube.

10. An electro-surgical device of the type utilizing a high frequency current source and a source of inert gas comprising: a housing, a casing containing said current source removably inserted into said housing, means directing inert gas from said gas source into said casing, a gas ilow indicating housing communicating with said casing, a combined electrical and gas outlet from said gas flow indicating housing, visual gas flow indicating means on said gas flow indicating housing, means directing gas flow from said casing through said gas low indicating means prior to passage to said outlet, normally closed valve means attached to said outlet, a valve actuating member removably secured to said outlet and having a gas port therethrough, an electrically insulated cutting instrument having an exposed cutting tool, a flexible elec trically. insulated tube connecting said valve actuating member to said cutting instrument directing gas flow through said cutting instrument in the form of an envelope encasing said cutting tool, and means electrically insulating the connection between said valve actuating member, said outlet and said tube.

11. An electro-surgical device of the type utilizing a high frequency current source and a source of inert gas comprising: a housing, a casing containing said current source removably inserted into said housing, means directing inert gas from said gas source into said casing, a gas flow indicating housing communicating with said casing, an outlet body having a gas port therethrough, means forming an electrical and gas tight seal between said outlet body and one of said housings, means connecting said high frequency current source to said outlet body, normally closed valve means in said outlet, a valve actuating member removably secured to said outlet, and having a gas port therethrough, an electrically insulated cutting instrument having an exposed cutting tool, a flexible electrically insulated tube connecting said valve actuating' member to said cutting instrument directing gas ilow through said cutting instrument in the form of an envelope encasing said cutting tool, and means electrically insulating the connection between said valve actuating member, said outlet and said tube.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

